Hernia-truss.



A. T. GOOKIN.

HERNIA TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29. I918.

1,282,569. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

A FOR/V578 ALBERT TREFETHEN GOOKIN', 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

HEanIA-rauss.

Patented Got. 22, 1918..

Application filed July 29, 1918. Serial N 0. 247,198.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. GooKIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Hernia-Truss,

- vide an improved form of pad for an apparatus of this character.

A still further object is to provide a truss having in addition to the foregoing advantages the facilities for quick and easy adjustment in practice.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention. is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested hirein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete device.

Fig. 2 is a detail view partly in section on the line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the pad on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, I show a truss comprising a belt indicated as a whole at 10 comprising a tubular body 11 substantially rectangular in cross section at the sides or end portions, while at the middle portion there is located a tube 12 of any suitable flexible material serving as a housing for a coil spring 13. The tube 12 is retained in place by means of a tubular covering 14L of leather, or its equivalent, the edges of which at 15 are stitched or otherwise secured to the flat inner facing strip 16 coextensive in length with the body of the belt.

The rectangular end portions 11 of the belt 10 include filling strips 17 between the inner facing strip 16 and the outer strips 18. These filling strips 17 are spaced vertically from each other providing guideways 19 for flexible straps 20 and 21 whose inner ends are attached as indicated at 22 to the ends of the spring. One of the straps has a series of holes for coiiperation with the tongue of any suitable conventional form of buckle 23. The guideways 19 provide for free movement of the straps 20 and 21 with reference to each other and the body of the belt. The spring, however, tends to keep the straps retracted or drawn toward each other.

Each of the pads 24 is provided with a knob 25 through Which is formed a slot 26 for the passage of one of the straps, and along which strap, therefore, the pad is adapted to be slipped or adjusted. Special attention is directed to the inner face of each pad, the same being provided with a central convex portion 27 surrounding which is an annular concavity 28 bounded by a fiat faced rim 29. This special form of pad is particularly adapted to hold the viscera well in place without the wedging action that is so common in conical or rounded pads as have been used generally heretofore. The contour of the pad surrounding the rounded portion 27 is of peculiar merit in allowing a proper relaxation of the muscles. I consequently provide a pad that is not only well suited for this purpose as a matter of comfort, but one which is not likely to slip out of place nor interfere with the relief or ultimate cure of the diificulty.

I claim:

1. In a truss of the character set forth, the combination of a belt comprising a body having ends substantially rectangular in cross section and provided with longitudinal guideways therein, a' strap in each guideway, an elastic member within the body to which the inner ends of the straps are secured and tending to hold the straps drawn inward toward each other, fastening means for the outer ends of the straps, and one or more pads fitted upon said straps.

2. In a device of the character set forth,

the combination of a belt comprising a body ble tube located in the central portion of having relatively-fiat end portion composed the body, a coil spring housed in said tubeof inner and outer facing strips, a pair of to the ends of which the straps are secured, vertically spaced filling strips between the means to connect the outer ends of thestraps inner and outer facing strips forming a together to fit the device to the person, and guideway through the longitudinal cente one or more pads adjustably mounted upon of the body, a flexible strap in each guidethe straps.

Way and slidable lengthwise therein, a fiexi- ALBERT TREFETHEN GOOKIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theficomniissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

